South Africa ripped the Kiwis apart on the morning of day four to secure victory; Graeme Smith's charges taking the visitors' final five wickets for eight runs during a 34-ball spell after unleashing the new cherry, with Dale Steyn (3-48) and Morne Morkel (2-36) the men inflicting the damage.
Butcher hailed the seam-bowling display as "gruesome" and "bullying" and reckons the Proteas, who hold a six-point buffer over England at the top of the ICC Test rankings, possess the best pace attack in world cricket.
"I think you can put Steyn and James Anderson up there as equals," added the erstwhile Surrey stroke-maker.
"Anderson doesn't have the same speed as Steyn, but in terms of skill, being able to remove well-set batsmen and being able to use the new ball in a fabulous way with in-swing or out-swing, there is not a lot between them.
"However, any two of Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt probably edge it over the next two seamers England have.
"But England have the bonus in the spin department, as if you are in subcontinent conditions or even in South African conditions, Graeme Swann is a better bowler than Robin Peterson."
